The 73rd annual Hunger Games
by Hayffie-Jedi-GamingGirl
Summary: Another reaping comes around and so many young lives are in danger. One fourteen year-old girl, Georgia Haines, is District 12's newest tribute and she must use what she can to try and survive every aspect of the Hunger Games. But happy endings don't always exist. ( AU ) Please read and enjoy. Reviews are welcome. :)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **Okay, Little idea I had while working on other fanfictions. I've got some big and hopefully great stuff coming your way with all my fics so please hang on. You are all amazing readers! :D

I own nothing, The hunger games belongs to the amazing Suzanne Collins!

**The 73rd annual hunger games!**  
**Chapter one.**

It was cold when I woke up. Colder than normal. I felt as if things always seemed grimmer on a reaping day. The only thing that could potentially lift my spirits is knowing that my nightmares kept there distance from my slumbers, however, I knew too well that they would return. I rose from what could be called my bed, my father copies my actions.

Like I do on every reaping day, I think about my mother more than ever. I see her face too clearly, I may never have met her but I constantly feel as if I knew her all too well. I brush the thought out of my mind, There are other things to be concerned about. The reaping, whether or not I or any of those I care about will be picked, be sent to our deaths. My father turns to me and shoots me a warm look of love and comfort, as we both know that both our world's could disintegrate in a matter of hours. I glare out through the window for a moment, swallowed by deep thought. The morning clouds are beginning to swim out of my view and reveal a brighter horizon. The sun begins to rise as I start to dress in the first thing I can find.

I make a swift exit out of the door and begin to jog. I run on a daily basis as it occupies my mind from my heart breaking disturbances. Frost had begun to lightly hug the tops of plants and rough surfaces. Things were always tense on the morning of a reaping, parents had different faces, they all wore a look of tension and fear that no one but them can possibly comprehend the torture of it, Their children wear expressions that appear stoic at first, but, if studied for long enough spices of terror can be revealed. As I jog I do nothing but review my surroundings until I am faced with the district's fence, the one that never buzzes with life, it's only feature being the hole that is often used by those who hunt here.

Temptation wills me to scramble underneath it's dead wires, bolt as far and as fast as I could into the depths of the forest, escape the nightmares that live within the districts, but, the reality that I would never live through the scheme keeps me on the legal side of the fence. I slide against the cold bars that sting through my clothes, I do not wish to return home, I don't wish to be reminded that civilisation exists around me, it's all too messed up.

A taller and older girl speeds past me. She does not acknowledge my presence, I cannot blame her, for I know she could be picked today, I believe her name is Katniss, Katniss Everdeen. She soon disappears on the other side of the fence. I remain on the ground, simply thinking, about the reaping, my family, my friends, the fact that my life could end in a couple of days. I do not have a exact measurement of time but I know I need to return home as I see families dressed smartly and begin to exit their homes.

I sprint back, overtaking anything in my path. As I fail to sneak through the door I am offered breakfast - which I refuse. My father has laid out a dress for me, it has a thick, silky texture and is smothered with lilac. I slip into it and let my brunette curls flow down my back.

"Hi, Sweetheart." My father whispers to me. I just smile. "I know hw you feel, Sweetheart, I've faced this too, but I promise whatever happens, I'm here for you."

"You can't be."

"Yes I can."

"No, you can't-" My voice starts of harsh, but begins to break as my sentence continues. "-If my name is picked today….You get to see me once before I'm shipped away to that land of disgust….that's where it ends."

"I won't let you think like that, Georgia. You'll come away from this reaping stronger than before."

"Then what? Live in fake happiness until next year?" This stops his words, mine too. I slip my hands around his torso for a tight embrace. We've both already lost so much, loosing each would break us both.  
"Let's go…" He mumbles. We walk with a neighboring family, that family of a dear friend of mine, Kelly Bait. We wrap are arms around each other as we walk.

"You okay?" She questions, it's something she often asks me, reaping or not. I give her a slight nod.

"You?"

"Fine." She replies almost too quickly. Our conversation does not continue much further, just being able to share each others presence is luxury enough, one that we want to grab hold of and never release. Then we line up to sign in. Our fingers are grabbed, pricked and slammed onto and open book - instantly causing a stinging sensation.

The entire district lines up in age groups and gender. There is no talking, not due to discipline but because no wishes to feel part of this world, heads are held down and eyes stare into the dust. Only a few gazes rise as Effie Trinket waltzes onto the stage - he face plastered white and enhanced by bright pink to match her ridiculous dress and wig.

"Welcome! Welcome!" She squeals excitedly. "Happy hunger games! And may the odds be ever in your favour!" I grip Kelly's hand and give her a weak smile with vacant eyes. "Ladies first!" Effie announces bubbly as she adjusts her overly curly wig.

Her hand hovers within the depths of the glass bowl until it finally swims around the empty space. I try to shift my focus but I presents itself as an impossible task. As a slip is retrieve my hand tenses. The slip is unfolded. Effie gives a polite cough and moves to the microphone. "Georgia Haines!" She calls.

My hand floats away from Kelly and drops. I look at her with teary eyes and whisper 'I'm sorry'. I creep away from my best friend, away from the crowd. I take shy and reluctant steps to the stage and try hopelessly to control my feverish shakes and shivers.

The few steps seem like mountains. Effie wraps her arms around my shoulders and brings me to the centre, I can no longer spot Kelly, just my dad. He is brave to look at the stage, tears fall down his rough cheeks to through his stubble. "Congratulations-" Effie begins. "-You are district twelve's female tribute for the 73rd annual hunger games." She pauses a moment. "-But, do tell me, what is your age?" She shift the microphone to my lips.

"Fourteen." I stutter. She nods and beams at me.

"Let's have a round of applause for are female tribute!" Effie sends out a weak clap, the crowd remains still. No noise is created. "And now for the boys" I ignore Effie's actions in the male's glass bowl and search the crowd, it pains me beyond belief to see my father or Kelly.

I look for anyone who notices me. Katniss notices me. She stares at me with no emotion. How she feels is a mystery. I fade back into the reaping just in time to hear the male tribute's name announced. "Walden Kindy!" Effie announces. A tall and somewhat dashing young man emerges from the crowd. He has flowing blonde hair and emerald eyes.

I recognise him, but know nothing about him, only his age. Sixteen. No one volunteers for him, it seems we're both only in this games. Effie appears overly excited as he reaches the same. "A big round of applause for our male tribute." The events surrounding the clapping are exactly the same as before. "We now have our two tributes!" She then speaks to only us. "Shake hands, you two." We obey her. "Happy hunger games!-" She enthuses once more. "-And may the odds be ever in your favour!" The

Anthem plays and we are lead into separate rooms for what is probably the most heartbreaking part of the hunger games: Saying goodbye. The first person to appear at my door is Kelly. I hug her tightly and we both begin to cry.

"You….You can do this, Georgia-" She cries in a shaky voice. "-I know you can, Just believe."

"I'll try, Kelly-" I keep my hand on her shoulders but moved to look at her face - red and wet with tears. "-I'll never forget you, Kelly. You will always remain in my heart. Stay strong." Peacekeepers come and drag her away. The last thing I hear from her is my name followed by the words 'You can win this!'. I don't believe her words. I expected to meet my father, but, my next visitor was extremely unexpected. It was Katniss.  
"Katniss? Why are you hear?"

"Georgia, I can't even begin to imagine what this must feel like, but-" He words her rushed, almost as if her presence here was forced. "-Stay strong okay, Because you are braver and better than you think, I have a unique feeling about you, although I don't agree with any of this, I think that….. That district twelve may have a victor." I embrace her quickly until she is replaced by my father. He encloses his strong arms around me and we allow our tears to flow.

"Georgia, You can do this, I know you can. You are string enough to return."

"I can't, Dad, I just…. I just can't."

"You can, You're still my little girl and I know you can do this, I believe in you."

"I love you, Dad. I'll try to win…..for you."

"I love you too…. You can do this." He is taken from me at that moment. I have left those closest to me and now I wonder to the train with strangers into a world of fear. Where the Hunger games begin.

**A/N: **Sorry that was only short, I will try and make each chapter better. Hope you liked it. :D


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **I really hope you enjoyed chapter one, here is the second installment! :D  
Everything belongs to Suzanne Collins! :D

**The 73rd annual hunger games!**  
**Chapter two.**

I still cannot quite comprehend the events that have only just occurred. My name was pulled from thousands, I have left everything I love behind, the chances that I will not return to the luxuries of my heart are in my eyes inevitable. The cameras that surround us feed on our image until the train doors finally open, I am one of the first to enter.

As my feet make contact with the fresh carpets I hug the wall with my back, I wish to be isolated, no such luck. Effie takes me and Walden by the wrist and excitedly leads us to a seating area and talks to us, I pay no attention to her, she is probably just telling us how excited she is. I spend the entire time studying the train. It is filled with plush and expensive furniture. Crystals are used to enhance the appearance of most things, and the food, luxurious by appearance and taste. I then zone back in to the conversation.

"-I am extremely delighted to have such wonderful tributes this year-" I instantly ignore her, I feel sick and disgusted when Capitol residence can refer the to Hunger games as just cheap entertainment that has no heartbreak. I gaze at Walden through the corner of my eye. He seems overly casual and confident, he seemed rather stoic when his name was called, but it's almost as if her is glad to be here, like he feels he has the greatest chance of winning this, part of me wishes I could think that way, but I know that in this world too much confidence is a good way to die in the arena.

I guess that he will receive a large amount of sponsors, he has the looks, flawless hair and skin, all the traits of handsome, he's strong and he probably has a rich personality, I prepare to be the tribute that gets forgotten. "-So at least you get to enjoy all the wonderful things from the capitol." Her voices stuns me slightly - causing me to jolt my head. "Anything wrong, Georgia?" I shake my head.

I realise that I know so little about the capitol, it is often talked about in school, but I never pay attention, I feel that it should not be given recognition, I am aware that all the citizens cannot be blamed, but, I would like to think that the majority would have some decency to protest to what they put the districts through, whether there was once a rebellion or not. "I'd better go and find Haymitch-" She sighs, an obvious tone of annoyance lurking within her voice. "-I won't be too long, I think I know where to find him." She leaves me and Walden alone.

"How you feelin'?" He asks, I know he is trying to be genuine but his voice just sounds overly cocky.

"Fine." I grumble.

"You don't sound fine." He says back to me, a large smirk forms on his face.

"I told you, I'm fine." I say through gritted teeth. His next expression informs me that he was given the impression that I am some kind of feisty diva.

"So….you're fourteen?"

"Yes, I'm fourteen." I say calmly.

"Young." He says.

"Oberservant….How old are you?" I pretend not to know.

"Sixteen." He says, obviously very confident about his age and proud that he is older than me. I find it almost astonishing that I've only had one conversation with him and I already hate him. Thankfully, Effie returns.

"Where's Haymitch." Walden asks.

"He's coming." Effie mumbles. She is correct. He takes large and heavy paces through the door, he pours himself a small glass of what I assume is Whiskey, his fills the glass with ice and sits opposite us - next to Effie, which seems to displease her somewhat.

"Well, Well, Well. Congratulations." He says sarcastically. I keep my head down.

"So, you're our mentor, you're here to help us and get us sponsors." Says Walden.

"Yeah…sure." Haymitch seems overly focused on his drink.

"You any good?"

"Huh?"

"Are you any good at getting sponsors and advising us on how to stay alive?"

"Well, I am a mentor, I did survive this once, I should be."

"Then how come we never have any victors?" As I listen with focused senses I have to support Walden's questioning.

"Beats me, there's only so much a mentor can do."

"Yes, but we've had tribute that have been strong enough to win, but somehow you're our only living victor."

"Whoa, no good blaming me, you could be the strongest man in the district or even in Panem but could still be dumb enough to not know what your doing in the arena!" Voices begin to rise at this point.

"Isn't that how your supposed to help us?"

"Look, Kid, there's only so much I know, I was in one kind of arena, you could be sent into something completely different, so that's why you have training, to train yourself, we can't do everything for you."

"To be honest, I think we'd all be better off if you did nothing!" I raise my head slightly and study Haymitch's face, I can see rage building up, it forms only slightly on his face but the main sources is in his eyes. He places his glass on the table, lunges his fist towards Walden and punches him in the cheek. Effie squeals and goes to his assistance, Haymitch sits back as if nothing happens and switches his gaze to me.

"You." He says simply. I look at him with scared and innocent eyes/

"Me?" I ask stupidly.

"Yeah, you, the 14 year old, what are traits that posses that can be useful in the arena?" I think hard for a moment, I'm not really the bravest person, I am when I have to be.

"I have good stamina." I say.

"Good."

"I run a lot so I can keep my speed up."

"I like what I'm hearing." He flashes me an almost genuine smile. "Anything else."

"Ummm, Well, I'm okay with a knife, I can cut pretty quickly, I can throw and stab but my aims a little off-" He waves a hand at me and interrupts my breathing.

"You can work on that-" He sips his drink. "-What about knowledge?" I am cautious with my choice of words due to the previous event.

"I know a few plants that are good to eat and a few poisonous ones, I know about Nightlock."

"Good, don't eat that stuff, You'd be dead in seconds." I nod. "Well, You seem to be a good little tribute-" He says, slightly patronising me. "-Stay alive." I give a slight smile, the first one I created in a long time. He turns to a red-faced Walden. "You, Kid-"

"-My name is Walden." He grumbles angrily.

"-Whatever, you just keep you nose clean and be careful what you say, I might not be so nice the next time." As Haymitch rises he makes no eye contact, he retrieves a bottle of white liquor from the tables and leaves the room, Walden copies, but in the opposite direction.

"You okay, Sweetheart?" Sweetheart, the name given to me by my father. I do not look at Effie, I look down and nod. "I know it's hard to leave your family behind, but, you'll be back with them soon." I know that's not true, I use all my strength to hold myself together, but I can't, I break. A tear rolls down my cheek, a tear visible to Effie. She moves over to me and hugs my side. "There, there, Dear, there's no need to cry." She tries to soothe me, but her capitol accent lifts my nerves. "You just need to believe and keep your head held high, and I promise that Haymitch and I will help you."

"Thank you….." I choke. She brushes my curls with her finger tips.

"Now, Go rest." She orders softly. I move away from her and pretend that I don't see Haymitch in the doorway, this is when I begin to worry. I guess that Haymitch favours me over Walden, But I do not want him to think I'm weak, I silently beg for his attention and assistance, he's my only help. Tomorrow is when I'll put on a brave face, on both the train and through the Capitol.

My room - like the seating area is small and plush, with elements of comfort scattered throughout. There are wardrobes packed with several clothing items. I strip from my dress and into a pair of fabric pyjamas of a similar colour to the dress. I slip underneath my heavy bed covers and become a victim of a sleepless night.

Each time my eyes close vision of my Father appear, at first he appears happy, then my name is constantly repeated in Effie's voice. My father is joined by Kelly, Haymitch and Katniss who all begin to cry. Then, my mother appears, her face is soft and caring. She says my name a few times, the rest of her words are covered by white noise. I awake for the final time, it is the early hours of the morning and suddenly the knowledge of my possibly inevitable death becomes to much more vivid. I do not cry. Not again. Instead I leave my room and return to the same seating area.

I sit for a while and watch the moonlit horizon role by at a racing pace. I can still hear my father's sobs ringing in my ear.

"Rough first night?" I turn to find Haymitch standing a few metres behind me.

"Yes…." I whimper.

"I know it's not easy, Sweetheart-" Again, the name Sweetheart is given to me. "-But, I've got a good feeling about you, just, try and make the right decisions.

"Haymitch, w...what were your games like." His expression drops, instantly I believe I've enraged him, but, he smiles slightly.

"That, Sweetheart, is story for another time."

"Okay, I understand."

"Now-" he gestures in the direction that leads to my room. "-Rest" I begin to walk away reluctantly.

"My name is Georgia."

"I know." He replies simply. I leave him there. I do not look forward to what tomorrow will bring.

**A/N: **Hope you enjoyed that. Reviews make my day. :)


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